Published in time for the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, ‘The Rough Guide to a Better World' outlines the problems facing the developing world and how the more fortunate countries can help.

In a chapter entitled 'A better world for Everyone' the authors mention two startling facts about the world today:

“Each day, more than a billion people – one in five of the world’s population – live on less than many of us spend on a bus fare”.

“The three richest people in the world have more wealth than all 48 of the poorest countries put together”.

Such facts confirm a conclusion drawn by this booklet - “Something is badly wrong with life on earth”.

An end to poverty
In contrast, according to the annual report from the World Bank on global economic prospects, released in 2004, there has been a spectacular drop in poverty around the world. Developing countries registered a growth of over 6% in 2004, with the prospect of 5% in 2005 and 2006. Such a growth rate would enable all regions except sub-Saharan Africa to halve poverty by 2015, the first of eight development goals agreed for the new millennium.

The danger of such global reports is that the headlines they produce tend to obscure the world’s underlying problems. Much needed growth in one part of the world tends to obscure a lack of sufficient progress elsewhere. And while countries at the top of the economic ladder lament the environmental damage done over the years by their own success, at the same time they ask the developing world to limit its growth to help prevent further climate change!

For example, even China itself now acknowledges that its ‘dash for growth’ has been an unsustainable environmental disaster. China now has 16 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities, a rapidly falling water table, appalling river pollution, extensive desertification and a steady loss of scarce agricultural land. China can no longer feed itself and she can barely keep the lights on. Even so, China is unwilling to sign-up to any agreements that limit further rapid growth in its economy. But China’s spectacular economic growth over recent years is now reflected in the World Bank's overall figures.

Such ‘progress’ is bound to continue in China and elsewhere as the developing world struggles to catch up and ‘make poverty history’. While the EU subsidises its cows to the tune of $2 a day, world governments cannot expect 2.7 billion people to survive each day on the same amount to help mend our damaged environment.

Climate change
While some parts of the developing world are making significant economic progress, leaving sub-Saharan Africa behind, richer nations are prepared to spend vast sums of money to protect their coastlines from the rise in sea level caused by climate change. Such measures are beyond the wildest dreams of most of the developing world, so the effects of global warming will be felt the most by those who contribute least to its causes.

The G8 countries represent 13% of the world’s population, but now account for 45% of greenhouse gas emissions. During the 50 years that have seen the gap between the developed and developing world get wider, the Antarctic ice sheet has shrunk by 5,000 square miles. In the light of facts like these, a joint statement by the national science academies of 11 countries, including all the G8 nations, issued a sober warning:

“It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can now take to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions”.

Such warnings are naturally ignored by those parts of the world that face continuing poverty unless they grasp every opportunity to achieve a better world for themselves. People without food today cannot be expected to concern themselves with problems the world will face long after they have died of hunger.

More broken promises
However well intentioned they are, human governments worldwide seem unable to keep their promises. Plans and agreements that seek to put right this world’s wrongs all too often fail to deliver the improvements so badly needed. Meanwhile, millions die early from lack of food and from curable diseases, while others see no end to their struggle to keep alive.

The sight of so many poor, sick and starving people, dying for reasons that seem beyond mans' control, grieves us all. While we see so many others suffering, we naturally struggle to find ways to help them and long for something better.

An impossible problem?
So the world is faced with a conflict between the objectives of the developing world to achieve a better standard of living and the impact that their economic growth is expected to have on our damaged environment. Even so, efforts continue to be made, by private individuals as well as government leaders, to find solutions to these seemingly impossible problems.

But real, long-term solutions may be beyond the grasp of even the most capable and well-meaning governments, agencies and activists. While reports and publications can identify the facts that prove that ‘something is badly wrong with life on earth’, too few people now turn to the earth’s Creator for the only solution to this world’s problems.

A Better World is coming
Sadly, many people in all parts of the world die each day without ever knowing about a ‘better world’ that’s coming soon. Although the Bible explains the root cause of this world’s problems, it never appears on any conference agenda. It tells us clearly what is 'badly wrong with life on earth'.

The Bible explains that the earth is under a curse due to mans' disobedience to God’s commands. Until that curse is lifted, efforts to 'make poverty history' and to repair the damage being done to the environment will inevitably fail. The wickedness of human nature will continue to make this world a wretched place to live (and die) for many people, as the Bible explains:

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4v1-3 NIV)

Fortunately for the future of us all, God promised long ago that this world’s problems won’t last for ever. One day soon, the oppression and wars that so often cause the innocent to suffer and die will no longer happen.

But that will only happen when human nature changes for good. Meanwhile:

“Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death”. (James 1v14-15 NIV)

When God created this world, then witnessed the weakness of human nature, he devised a plan of salvation for anyone willing to listen. That plan involved the sacrifice of his own son – Jesus Christ – so that men and women world-wide could be saved from the fate which faces us all sooner or later, death itself.

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6v23)

God also made the promise that he would create a far better world to replace this one, without the problems we experience today:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Re 21v4)

“For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no-one to help. He will take pity on the weak and needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight”. (Psalm 72v12-14 NIV)

The Bible is God’s guide to that ‘better world’. It’s worth reading.